Dilly Beans and Sour Pickled Beans

   
     I have been seeing Dilly Beans pop up in supermarkets lately and have been thinking about trying them. However, I know it's always better when I can my own. Dilly beans and sour beans are a staple in every canners home. (Well, every canners but mine.) I aim to change that with what I put together over my last few days off.

 June has hit Ontario, which means delicious home grown produce is finally coming into the markets. Green Beans are in season right now. I usually just eat them freshly washed as they are crispy, sweet and really tasty. They are the first real taste of spring after fiddleheads for me.
     First off, a few things before you get started. Your beans should smell good, be free of blemishes, and be firm enough that they SNAP when you break them. You can't get good crisp pickles with wimpy beans. Secondly these beans are great for garnish in Cesars, added to stirfries, or just eaten straight from the jar if you like a bit of kick in your day.
     These recipes are inspired by a few of my favorite cookbooks with my own added touch in the spices. I did not however change the brine in any way. Beans are a low acid food and if you make adjustments to the brine you could wind up with not enough acid in the jars to keep botulism away. Remember you can add and subtract spice. Never change the measurements for the brine.


SPICY SOUR PICKLED BEANS  

• Makes Five 500 ml Jars
• 3lb green beans
• 2 1/4 cups of vinegar (7% is best) 
• 3 cups of water
• 1/4 cup of pickling salt or kosher salt
• In each jar put the following: 1 garlic clove, 2 small dried hot chili's, 6 black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp of Pickle Crisp, 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds

PICKLED DILLY BEANS

• Makes Five 500 ml Jars
• 2lb green beans
• 3 cups of vinegar (7% is best) 
• 3 cups of water
• 1/4 cup of pickling salt or kosher salt
• In each jar put the following: 1 garlic clove, 2 small dried hot chili's, 1/2 tsp of Pickle Crisp, 1 tsp of dill seed. Make sure it's dill seed and not dill weed

INSTRUCTIONS

• Get you big water bath pot out and boil your jars to sterilize them. Make sure all your jars are covered by the water.
• Wash and cut the beans to the size of the jar so they won't float around on you later.
• Bring vinegar, water and salt to a boil.
• Put another small saucepan of water to simmer - this is for your lids to get ready in.
• When your jars are sterile, pack them with the required spices, and then fill them with beans.
• Ladle in the brine using a wide mouth funnel. Fill about a centimeter from the top of the jar.
• Put on your lids and screw caps. Seal them fingertip tight and boil them in your water bath for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove to cool down.
• Lids will make an audible POP noise when the seal. This is also evident because the lid will not move when touched.
• Let your pickles sit for 2 weeks to a month before opening so they can actually pickle.